2 Suspected SARS cases in Tennessee and Mississippi
Posted: Fri May 16, 2003 5:34 pm
Two Mid-South men were quarantined at home Thursday with the high fever, cough and other symptoms that prompted public health officials to suspect the atypical pneumonia dubbed SARS.
The men - residents of Shelby and DeSoto counties - developed symptoms within 10 days of returning from Toronto and Hong Kong, both hot spots of severe acute respiratory syndrome, state health officials said.
Tennessee and Mississippi health officials said the men pose little risk to the general public. They declined to identify the patients.
"SARS is not transmitted by walking by someone. It takes contact like getting sneezed on or coughed on or eating something someone else has taken a bite of" to spread the disease, said Dr. Mary Currier, Mississippi state health department epidemiologist.
SARS is caused by a virus related to the common cold virus. It surfaced in China in November and has since infected more than 7,600 people worldwide. At least 602 have died.
In the United States, there have been 281 suspected and 64 probable cases. No one has died.
Dr. Tim Jones, Tennessee deputy state epidemiologist, said the U.S. cases have all been linked to international travel or close contact with a SARS patient.
Neither Mid-South patient has been hospitalized. Both cases were diagnosed Thursday. They were told to stay home and restrict contact until 10 days after their fever and respiratory symptoms are gone.
The DeSoto County resident, who recently returned from Hong Kong, is listed as a probable case. That means along with a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, a cough, shortness of breath and breathing problems he had either a diagnosis of pneumonia or had severe breathing problems.
The Shelby County resident, who traveled to Toronto, is listed as a suspect case. That means he has a fever and less severe breathing problems. He is the first Tennessee resident listed as either a probable or suspect case.
Results of blood tests to check for evidence of viral infection will take at least six weeks. Currently a SARS diagnosis is based primarily on a patient's symptoms and possible exposure to the disease through travel or personal contact with a patient.
"We fully expect that the huge majority of people in the United States that are currently classified as suspect cases will turn out not to be cases. We are consciously erring on the side of caution," Jones said.
The DeSoto County man is the second Mississippi resident listed as a probable SARS patient. But Currier said laboratory tests found no evidence of the SARS virus in the earlier patient. Another Mississippi resident is listed as a suspect case. Both patients have recovered.
There is no vaccine or medicine proven effective against SARS. Federal health officials currently recommend SARS patients receive the same care given to patients with certain forms of serious pneumonia.
Jennifer Ward, a local Health Department epidemiologist, said a health worker will call the patients twice daily to ask about symptoms and confirm they are at home.
Both patients are cooperating. But Ward said: "The CDC is very strict about this kind of thing. There are laws that allow us to enforce this isolation."
Jones said the patients are advised to wear surgical masks whenever they have contact with anyone. Family members are advised to wear gloves when cleaning up after a patient.
Family members as well as health providers who cared for the patients will be monitored for fever or respiratory symptoms for the next 10 days. But health officials said they aren't being told to stay home.
Jones said both patients apparently heeded the advice all travelers now receive when returning to the United States from nations hit hard by SARS. They are advised to call a health provider if they develop a fever and cough within 10 days of returning.
Jones said the providers quickly called public health officials and also took steps to protect staff and other patients.
Jones said the Shelby County hospital that treated the DeSoto County resident in its emergency department was alerted to expect the patient.
The precautions taken included gloves, special filter masks, gowns and eye protection. When an infectious disease is suspected, the patient is placed in an examining room with an independent air-circulation system.
The men - residents of Shelby and DeSoto counties - developed symptoms within 10 days of returning from Toronto and Hong Kong, both hot spots of severe acute respiratory syndrome, state health officials said.
Tennessee and Mississippi health officials said the men pose little risk to the general public. They declined to identify the patients.
"SARS is not transmitted by walking by someone. It takes contact like getting sneezed on or coughed on or eating something someone else has taken a bite of" to spread the disease, said Dr. Mary Currier, Mississippi state health department epidemiologist.
SARS is caused by a virus related to the common cold virus. It surfaced in China in November and has since infected more than 7,600 people worldwide. At least 602 have died.
In the United States, there have been 281 suspected and 64 probable cases. No one has died.
Dr. Tim Jones, Tennessee deputy state epidemiologist, said the U.S. cases have all been linked to international travel or close contact with a SARS patient.
Neither Mid-South patient has been hospitalized. Both cases were diagnosed Thursday. They were told to stay home and restrict contact until 10 days after their fever and respiratory symptoms are gone.
The DeSoto County resident, who recently returned from Hong Kong, is listed as a probable case. That means along with a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, a cough, shortness of breath and breathing problems he had either a diagnosis of pneumonia or had severe breathing problems.
The Shelby County resident, who traveled to Toronto, is listed as a suspect case. That means he has a fever and less severe breathing problems. He is the first Tennessee resident listed as either a probable or suspect case.
Results of blood tests to check for evidence of viral infection will take at least six weeks. Currently a SARS diagnosis is based primarily on a patient's symptoms and possible exposure to the disease through travel or personal contact with a patient.
"We fully expect that the huge majority of people in the United States that are currently classified as suspect cases will turn out not to be cases. We are consciously erring on the side of caution," Jones said.
The DeSoto County man is the second Mississippi resident listed as a probable SARS patient. But Currier said laboratory tests found no evidence of the SARS virus in the earlier patient. Another Mississippi resident is listed as a suspect case. Both patients have recovered.
There is no vaccine or medicine proven effective against SARS. Federal health officials currently recommend SARS patients receive the same care given to patients with certain forms of serious pneumonia.
Jennifer Ward, a local Health Department epidemiologist, said a health worker will call the patients twice daily to ask about symptoms and confirm they are at home.
Both patients are cooperating. But Ward said: "The CDC is very strict about this kind of thing. There are laws that allow us to enforce this isolation."
Jones said the patients are advised to wear surgical masks whenever they have contact with anyone. Family members are advised to wear gloves when cleaning up after a patient.
Family members as well as health providers who cared for the patients will be monitored for fever or respiratory symptoms for the next 10 days. But health officials said they aren't being told to stay home.
Jones said both patients apparently heeded the advice all travelers now receive when returning to the United States from nations hit hard by SARS. They are advised to call a health provider if they develop a fever and cough within 10 days of returning.
Jones said the providers quickly called public health officials and also took steps to protect staff and other patients.
Jones said the Shelby County hospital that treated the DeSoto County resident in its emergency department was alerted to expect the patient.
The precautions taken included gloves, special filter masks, gowns and eye protection. When an infectious disease is suspected, the patient is placed in an examining room with an independent air-circulation system.